Lillian Brady, Ph.D. and Kirsty Erickson are part of the Erin Calipari Lab at Vanderbilt University in the Department of Pharmacology.
Lillian obtained her PhD from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) in the Department of Neurobiology. While at UAB, Lillian worked with Dr. Lynn Dobrunz where she studied the role of the dopamine system in the modulation and regulation of inhibitory synaptic transmission and neural circuit function within the hippocampus. Lillian joined Vanderbilt University as an Academic Pathways Postdoctoral Research Fellow in May of 2017 where her research interests include understanding the synaptic physiology, circuit function, and molecular mechanisms that underlie different types of learning behavior.
Kirsty graduated from the University of South Dakota in 2016 with a BS in Medical Biology, during which time she studied the role of Ubiquilin-1 in learning and memory. Kirsty came to Vanderbilt in 2017 as a research assistant in the Neul lab, where she investigated the pathogenesis of Rett Syndrome. Now, she joins the Calipari Lab as a graduate student interested in terminal dopamine dynamics that render susceptibility to stimulant use disorder.
An interview with
our scientists:
Learn more about
their research:
Whose lab are you in, and what made you choose their lab?
L - I am in the lab of Dr. Erin Calipari. I chose this lab because of the potential translation impact of the lab's research.
K - I am in Dr. Erin Calipari’s lab. Foremost, Dr. Calipari is a fierce advocate for trainees and has an enthusiasm and passion for her work that inspires the people around her. During my rotation, Dr. Calipari instilled a level of confidence in me and my work that pushed me through any insecurities I may have felt - a quality that I saw as imperative to find in an advisor during graduate school. It helped that Dr. Calipari’s research interests and goals were very much aligned with my own, so the fit seemed seamless.
When you were 5, what did you want to be when you grew up?
L - I wanted to be a teacher, I think, because I always liked most of my teachers.
K - Pretty sure I wanted to be a dolphin trainer at Sea World.
What was it about science that drew you to it?
L - I like the idea of figuring out the unknown.
K - I always was fascinated with helping people, and so naturally I was encouraged to pursue a career in medicine. However, I got an opportunity to participate in basic research during undergrad, and figured out that I was more excited and passionate about the unknowns of science and disease pathology than interacting with patients on a daily basis.
In a nutshell, what do you study?
L - Sex differences in pharmacodynamic regulation of dopamine release underlying dynamics of Substance Use Disorders.
K - Factors that modulate terminal dopamine dynamics, specifically circulating gonadal hormones; and how these factors modulate drug effects on the mesolimbic dopamine system.
Why is your research important? What is its larger impact, and/or how do you foresee it impacting public health?
L - It is important to understand how motivational states differ between males and females to identify sex-specific or conserved mechanisms for more efficacious treatment interventions. My research will lead to better pharmacotherapeutic approaches for the treatment of Substance Use Disorders and other Central Nervous System disorders in both male and female subjects.
K - In recent years, our understanding of different neurological disease states has overwhelmingly increased, and within that realm sex has been elucidated as a significant biological factor that interacts with the environment to impact reward learning and motivation. However, historically a majority of studies have focused almost entirely on male subjects, and this male-based approach can lead to detrimental side effects for women that often go undetected. The dopaminergic system is critical in reward processing and learning, and is one of the key systems targeted by drugs of abuse. Understanding the fundamental mechanisms that govern the dopaminergic system is key in order to identify pharmacotherapy targets for disease characterized by dysfunction in this system.
What has been your biggest challenge as a scientist?
L - Overcoming nervousness when speaking about my scientific research.
K - Learning to be comfortable with not having all the answers, and giving myself grace to figure it out. Learning it was okay to take a break and ask for help.
What's next for you?
L - A tenure-track assistant professor position somewhere!
K - That is a great question. I probably should pass quals before I make big plans!
Best way to spend time while waiting on an experiment to finish:
L - Twitter!
K - Chatting with friends!
What are you looking forward to doing most, once the pandemic is under control, and life starts to return to a state of normalcy?
L - Traveling!
K - Definitely traveling.
